Exhibit 1.1
FIBERSTARS, INC.
Shares of Common Stock
(Par Value $.0001 Per Share)
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
San
Francisco, California
[ ,
2005]
Merriman Curhan Ford & Co.
WR Hambrecht + Co, LLC
Pacific Growth Equities, Inc.
c/o Merriman Curhan Ford & Co.
600 California Street, 9th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94108
Dear Sirs:
Fiberstars, Inc., a
California corporation (the Company), proposes to issue and sell to the
several underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (the Underwriters),
pursuant to this underwriting agreement (the Agreement), an aggregate of [ ( )]
shares (the Company Firm Shares) of common stock of the Company, par value
$.0001 per share (Common Stock); and the shareholders of the Company named in
Schedule B hereto (collectively, the Selling Shareholders)
severally propose to sell to the several Underwriters an aggregate of [
( )]
shares of Common Stock (the Selling Stockholder Firm Shares) (with each
Selling Stockholder selling the number of shares of Common Stock set forth
opposite such Selling Stockholders name in Schedule B). In addition, the Company has granted to the
Underwriters the option referred to in Section 3(d) hereof to
purchase an aggregate of not more than an additional [ ( )]
shares of Common Stock (the Company Option Shares), and the Selling
Stockholders have severally granted to the Underwriters the option referred to
in Section 3(d) hereof to purchase an aggregate of not more than an
additional [ ( )]
shares of Common Stock (the Selling Stockholder Option Shares) (with each
Selling Stockholder selling up to the number of shares of Common Stock set
forth opposite such Selling Stockholders name in Schedule B), in
each case for the purpose of covering over-allotments, if requested by the
Underwriters in accordance with Section 3(d) hereof. It is understood that the Underwriters
propose to offer the Shares (as hereinafter defined) to be purchased
hereunder to the public upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Registration
Statement (as defined below) after the Effective Date (as defined below) of
the Registration Statement. As used in
this Agreement, (a) the term Firm Shares
shall mean the Company Firm Shares and the Selling Stockholders Firm
Shares, to be issued (in the case of the Company Firm Shares) and sold to the
Underwriters at the First Closing Date (as defined in Section 3(b) below);
(b) the term Option Shares shall mean any of the additional up to [
( )]
shares of Common Stock, consisting of the Company Option Shares and the Selling
Stockholder Option Shares, as are purchased pursuant to the option referred to
in Section 3(c) hereof; and (c) the term Shares shall mean the
Firm Shares and the Option Shares collectively.
The Company and each of
the Selling Stockholders hereby confirm their respective agreements with the
Underwriters as follows:
1. Representations
and Warranties of the Company. The
Company hereby represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Underwriters
that, as of the Effective Date, the First Closing Date and each Option Closing
Date (as defined below):
(a) The
eligibility requirements for use of a registration statement on Form S-3
have been satisfied, or pursuant to discussions between the Company and the
staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission), duly waived
by the Commission, with respect to the Company the transactions contemplated
herein and in the Registration Statement.
A Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-128421)
relating to the offering of the Shares has been prepared by the Company in
conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
Act), and the rules and regulations (the Rules and Regulations)
of the Commission promulgated pursuant to the Act, and said Registration
Statement has been filed with the Commission under the Act. One or more amendments to said Registration
Statement has or have, as the case may be, been similarly prepared and filed
with the Commission covering the registration of the Shares under the Act including
the related preliminary prospectus or preliminary prospectuses (each being
hereinafter referred to as a Preliminary Prospectus as further defined
below), each of which has been furnished to the Underwriters. Each Preliminary Prospectus was endorsed with
the legend required by Item 501(b) of Regulation S-K and, if applicable, Rule 430A
of the Rules and Regulations. As
used in this Agreement and unless the context indicates otherwise, the term Registration
Statement refers to and means said Registration Statement, including any
documents incorporated or deemed to be by reference therein, all exhibits,
financial statements and schedules and the Prospectus included therein, as
finally amended and revised on or prior to the Effective Date (as defined
below) and, in the event of any post-effective amendment thereto or if any Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement becomes effective prior to the Closing Date (as hereinafter defined),
shall also mean such registration statement as so amended or such Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement, as the case may be. The term Registration
Statement shall also include any Rule 430A Information deemed to be
included therein at the Effective Date as provided by Rule 430A. The term Effective Date shall mean each
date and time that the Registration Statement, any post-effective amendment or
amendments thereto and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement became
or becomes effective. The term Preliminary
Prospectus refers to and means a preliminary prospectus filed with the
Commission and included in said Registration Statement before the Effective
Date and any preliminary prospectus included in the Registration Statement at
the Effective Date that omits Rule 430A Information; the term Rule 430A
Information shall mean information with respect to the Shares and the offering
thereof permitted to be omitted from the Registration Statement when it becomes
effective pursuant to Rule 430A; and, the term
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Prospectus refers to and means the prospectus
relating to Shares that is first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) or, if
no filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) is required, shall mean the form of
final prospectus relating to the Shares included in the Registration Statement
at the Effective Date. If the
Registration Statement is amended or such Prospectus is supplemented after the
Effective Date and prior to the Option Closing Date, then the terms Registration
Statement and Prospectus shall include such documents as so amended or
supplemented. Each Preliminary
Prospectus and the Prospectus was identical to the copy thereof delivered to
the Underwriters for use in connection with the offer and sale of the
Shares. Each of the Registration
Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and any
post-effective amendment thereto, at the time it became effective and at all
subsequent times, complied and will comply in all material respects with the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the 1934 Act) and did not and
will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading. Each Preliminary
Prospectus, as of its date, and the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, as
of its date and at all subsequent times through the 30th day after
the date hereof, did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading. The
representations and warranties set forth in the two immediately preceding
sentences do not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration
Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, or any
post-effective amendment thereto, or the Prospectus, or any amendments or
supplements thereto, made in reliance upon and in conformity with information
relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by the
Representative expressly for use therein.
The terms used herein shall have the same meaning as in the Prospectus
unless the context hereof otherwise requires.
(b) Neither
the Commission nor any state regulatory authority has issued an order
preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus nor has the
Commission or any such authority instituted or, to the Knowledge of the Company
(as defined below), threatened to institute any proceedings with respect to
such an order. When representations or
warranties in this Agreement are qualified to the Knowledge of the Company,
they are given by the Company to the extent of and qualified in all respects by
the facts known to any of the executive officers or directors of the Company or
any of the key employees of the Company identified under the caption Management
of the Prospectus, with an obligation of reasonable inquiry on the part of such
officers, directors and such key employees, prior to the date such
representations or warranties are made.
(c) The
Registration Statement (as of the Effective Date), any Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement (and any post-effective amendment thereto) and the Prospectus
(and any amendments or supplements thereto) when filed with the
Commission, and such documents as of the First Closing Date and the Option
Closing Date (as each is defined below), complied or will comply in all
material respects to the applicable requirements of the Act and the Rules and
Regulations.
(d) The
Company has delivered to the Underwriters one complete conformed copy of the
Registration Statement and of each consent and certificate of experts filed as
a part thereof, and conformed copies of the Registration Statement (without
exhibits) and Preliminary
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Prospectuses and the Prospectus, as amended or
supplemented, in such quantities and at such places as the Underwriters have
reasonably requested.
(e) The
Company has not distributed and will not distribute, prior to the later of the
Option Closing Date and the completion of the Underwriters distribution of the
Shares, any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the
Shares other than a Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or the Registration
Statement.
(f) This
Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by, and is a valid
and binding agreement of, the Company, enforceable in accordance with its
terms, except as rights to indemnification hereunder may be limited by
applicable law and except as the enforcement hereof may be limited by
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws
relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors or by general
equitable principles.
(g) The
Company has been duly incorporated and is now, and at the First Closing Date
(as defined below) and each Option Closing Date (as defined below) will be,
validly existing and in good standing as a corporation under the laws of the
State of California, and has full corporate power and authority (i) to own
or lease, as the case may be, its properties, whether tangible or intangible,
and conduct its business as presently conducted and as described in the
Prospectus (the Business) and (ii) to execute, deliver and perform
this Agreement and consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and
thereby. The Company has no subsidiaries
other than those subsidiaries set forth on Schedule 1(d) (each,
a Subsidiary and collectively, the Subsidiaries). Each of the Subsidiaries has been duly
incorporated and is now, and at the Closing Dates (as defined below) will be,
validly existing and in good standing as a corporation or other legal entity
under the laws of its respective jurisdiction as set forth on Schedule 1(d). Unless the context otherwise requires, all
references to the Company in this Agreement shall include the
Subsidiaries. Each of the Subsidiaries
has full power and authority, corporate and other, necessary to own or lease,
as the case may be, and operate its properties, whether tangible or intangible,
and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus. Each of the Company and each Subsidiary is
duly qualified to do business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation
in all jurisdictions in which the nature of the business transacted by it or the
character or location of its properties, in each case taken as a whole, makes
such qualification necessary, except where the failure to so qualify could not
have a material adverse effect upon the condition (financial or otherwise),
results of operations, income, shareholders equity, net worth, business,
assets, properties or prospects of the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a
whole (a Material Adverse Effect).
Except as set forth on Schedule 1(d), the Company owns all
of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity and
ownership and/or voting interests of each of the Subsidiaries, free and clear
of any security interests, liens, encumbrances, claims and charges, and all of
such shares or other interests have been duly authorized and validly issued and
are fully paid and non-assessable. There
are no options or warrants for the purchase of, or other rights to purchase or
acquire, or outstanding securities convertible into or exchangeable for, any
capital stock or other securities or interests of the Subsidiaries. Other than the Subsidiaries, the Company has
no equity interests in any entity. Each
of the Company and each Subsidiary holds all permits, licenses, certifications,
registrations, approvals, consents, orders, franchises and other authorizations
(collectively, Permits) from state, federal, foreign or other regulatory
authorities necessary for the conduct of its Business and
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is in compliance with all laws and regulations and all
orders and decrees applicable to it or to such business, except where the
failure to hold such Permits or comply with such laws, regulations, orders or
decrees could not result in a Material Adverse Effect, and there are no
proceedings pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened, seeking to
cancel, terminate or limit such Permits.
(h) The
financial statements of the Company, including the schedules and related notes,
filed with the Commission as part of the Registration Statement and included in
the Prospectus, are correct in all material respects and present fairly the
consolidated financial position of the Company as of and at the respective
dates thereof and the results of operations and cash flows of the Company for
the respective periods indicated therein and comply as to form in all material
respects with the applicable accounting requirements included in Regulations
S-K and S-X, as well as any other applicable Rules and Regulations. Such financial statements have been prepared
in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles consistently
applied throughout the periods involved, except as otherwise stated in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and all adjustments necessary for a
fair presentation of results for such periods have been made. The selected consolidated financial data set
forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus present fairly the
information shown therein at the respective dates thereof and for the
respective periods covered thereby and have been presented on a basis
consistent with that of the audited and unaudited financial statements included
in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. No other financial statements or supporting
schedules are required to be included in the Registration Statement.
(i) The
accounting firm of Grant Thornton LLP, which has audited certain of the
financial statements filed and to be filed with the Commission as part of the
Registration Statement and Prospectus, are registered independent public
accountants with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board as required by
the Act, 1934 Act and the Rules and Regulations. Except as described in the Prospectus and as
pre-approved in accordance with the requirements set forth in Section 10A
of the 1934 Act, Grant Thornton LLP has not been engaged by the Company to
perform any prohibited activities (as defined in Section 10A of the 1934
Act).
(j) Subsequent
to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus and the Companys latest financial statements
filed with the Commission as a part thereof, and except as described in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus, (i) neither the Company nor any
Subsidiary has incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or
contingent, or entered into any material transactions whether or not incurred
in the ordinary course of business; (ii) neither the Company nor any
Subsidiary has sustained any material loss or interference with its business
from fire, storm, explosion, flood or other casualty (whether or not such loss
is insured against), or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action,
order or decree; (iii) there have not been, and through and including the
First Closing Date, there will not be, any changes in the capital stock or any
material increases in the long-term debt or other securities of the Company; (iv) the
Company has not paid or declared any dividend or other distribution on its
Common Stock or its other securities or redeemed or repurchased any of its
Common Stock or other securities, and (v) no change, event, development or
circumstance has occurred which could result in a Material Adverse Effect.
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(k) No
Permits of or filing with any government or governmental instrumentality,
agency, body or court, except as have been obtained or made under the Act, the blue
sky or securities laws of any state or the rules of the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (NASD) (including approval of
underwriting compensation) or in connection with the listing of the Common
Stock on the Nasdaq National Market (NASDAQ), are required (i) for the
valid authorization, issuance, sale and delivery of the Firm Shares and the
Option Shares to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement, and (ii) the
consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(l) Except
as disclosed in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, there is neither
pending nor, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened, against the Company
or any Subsidiary any claim, action, suit, or proceeding at law or in equity,
arbitration, investigation or inquiry to which the Company or any of its
respective officers, key employees, directors or 5% or greater securityholders
is a party and involving the Companys or any Subsidiaries properties or
businesses, before or by any court, arbitration tribunal or governmental
instrumentality, agency, or body.
(m) There
is no contract or other document which is required by the Act or by the Rules and
Regulations to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or
to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement which has not been so
described or filed as required and each contract or document which has been
described in the Registration Statement and Prospectus has been described
accurately and presents fairly the information required to be described and
each such contract or document which is filed as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement is and shall be in full force and effect at the Closing Date or shall
have been terminated in accordance with its terms or as set forth in the
Registration Statement and Prospectus, and no party to any such contract has
given notice to the Company or any Subsidiary of the cancellation of or, to the
Knowledge of the Company, shall have threatened to cancel, any such contract,
and except as described in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, the
Company is not in default thereunder.
Except as described in the Prospectus, there is no voting or other
stockholder agreement between the Company and any of its stockholders or, to
the Knowledge of the Company, between or by and among any stockholders of the
Company. There are and, as of the Closing
Date, there will be, no loans to the Company from any officers, directors,
securityholders or consultants, or any affiliates thereof.
(n) The
Company and the Subsidiaries do not own any real property. Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries has
good title to all of its personal property (tangible and intangible) and assets
reflected as owned in the financial statements referred to in Section 1(g) above,
including any licenses, trademarks and copyrights, described in the
Registration Statement and Prospectus as owned by it, free and clear of all
security interests, liens, charges, mortgages, encumbrances and restrictions
other than such security interests, liens, charges, mortgages, encumbrances and
restrictions that do not materially affect the value of such property or
materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such property
by the Company or its subsidiaries. The
leases, subleases and licenses under which the Company or a Subsidiary is
entitled to lease, hold or use any real or personal property, are valid and
enforceable by the Company and the Subsidiaries, all rentals, royalties or
other payments accruing thereunder which became due prior to the date of this
Agreement have been duly paid and none of the Company, any Subsidiary, or, to
the Knowledge of the Company, any other
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party, is in default in respect of any of the terms or
provisions of any such leases, subleases and licenses and no claim of any sort
has been asserted by anyone against the Company or any Subsidiary under any
such leases, subleases or licenses affecting or questioning the rights of the
Company or any Subsidiary to the continued use or enjoyment of the rights and
property covered thereby. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received
notice of any violation of any applicable law, ordinance, regulation, order or
requirement relating to its owned or leased properties. Each of the Company and each Subsidiary owns
or leases all such properties as are necessary to its operations as now
conducted and as proposed to be conducted as set forth in the Registration
Statement and Prospectus.
(o) Each
of the Company and each Subsidiary has filed with the appropriate federal,
state and local governmental agencies, and all appropriate foreign countries
and political subdivisions thereof, all tax returns, including franchise tax
returns, which are required to be filed by it or has duly obtained extensions
of time for the filing thereof and has paid all taxes required to be paid by it
as shown on such returns and all other assessments against it, to the extent
that the same have become due and are not being contested in good faith; and
the provisions for income taxes payable, if any, shown on the financial
statements filed with or as part of the Registration Statement and Prospectus
are sufficient for all accrued and unpaid foreign and domestic taxes, whether
or not disputed, and for all periods to and including the dates of such
consolidated financial statements. None
of the Company nor any Subsidiary has executed or filed with any taxing
authority, foreign or domestic, any agreement extending the period for
assessment or collection of any income taxes and, to the Knowledge of the
Company, is not a party to any pending action or proceeding by any foreign or domestic
governmental agency for assessment or collection of taxes; and no claims for
assessment or collection of taxes have been asserted in writing against the
Company. The Company is not aware of any
material tax deficiency that has been or might be asserted or threatened
against the Company or its Subsidiaries.
(p) Each
of the Company and its subsidiaries are insured by recognized, financially
sound and reputable institutions with policies in such amounts and with such
deductibles and covering such risks as are generally deemed adequate and
customary for their businesses including, but no limited to, policies covering
real and personal property owned or leased by the Company and its subsidiaries
against theft, damage, destruction, acts of vandalism and earthquakes, general
liability and directors and officers liability. The Company has no reason to
believe that it or any Subsidiary will not be able (i) to renew its
existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (ii) to
obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or
appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted without incurring a
material additional cost to the Company.
Neither of the Company nor any Subsidiary has been denied any insurance
coverage which it has sought or for which it has applied. To the Knowledge of the Company, there are no
facts or circumstances which would require it or a Subsidiary to notify its
insurers of any claim of which notice has not been made or will not be made in
a timely manner. To the Knowledge of the
Company, there are no facts or circumstances under any of its or any Subsidiarys
existing insurance policies which would relieve any insurer of its obligation
to satisfy in full any existing valid claim of the Company or a Subsidiary
under any such policies.
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(q) Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries owns or
otherwise possesses adequate, enforceable and unrestricted rights to
intellectual property that is used or proposed to be used in the conduct of the
Business, as described under the caption Business in the Registration
Statement and Prospectus, including all trademarks, service marks, trade names
and copyrights, trade secrets, know-how, confidential information, designs,
works of authorship, computer programs and technical data, proprietary
information, inventions and the like (collectively, the Intangibles). Except as otherwise described in the
Registration Statement and Prospectus, (i) each of the Company and each
Subsidiary is the beneficial and record owner of all right, title and interest
in, to and under the Intangibles, free and clear of all liens, security
interests, charges, encumbrances or other adverse claims and has the right to
use the Intangibles without payment to a third party; (ii) to the
Knowledge of the Company, none of the Company nor any Subsidiary has infringed
nor is infringing upon the intellectual property rights of others, (iii) none
of the Company nor any Subsidiary has received any notice that it has or may
have infringed or is infringing upon the intellectual property rights of
others; (iv) there is no pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company,
threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the Companys
or any Subsidiarys rights in or to, or the validity or scope of, any such
Intangibles, nor, to the Knowledge of the Company, do there exist any facts which would form a
reasonable basis for any such claim; (v) there is no pending or, to the
Knowledge of the Company, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by
others alleging that the Company or any Subsidiary infringes or otherwise
violates any patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret or other proprietary
rights of others, nor, to the Knowledge of the Company, does there exist any other fact which would form
a reasonable basis for any such claim except where the Company or any
Subsidiary has requested and obtained a non-infringement or right-to-use
opinion from its intellectual property counsel; (vi) to the Knowledge of
the Company, no others have infringed upon the Intangibles of the Company or
any Subsidiary, and (vii) none of the Company or any Subsidiary is
obligated or under any liability whatsoever to make any payment by way of
royalties, fees or otherwise to any owner or licensee of, or other claimant to,
intellectual property rights not owned or controlled by the Company or such
Subsidiary or in connection with the conduct of the Business. Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries has
taken reasonable security measures to protect the secrecy, confidentiality and
value of all its Intangibles in all material respects.
(r) Except
as described in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, neither the Company
nor any officer, director or any other affiliate of the Company (as such term
is defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the Rules and Regulations)
has incurred any liability for or entered into any agreement providing for a
finders fee or similar fee in connection with the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement.
(s) No
officer or director of the Company, or any affiliate (as such term is defined
in Rule 405 promulgated under the Rules and Regulations) of any such
officer or director, has taken, and each officer or director has agreed that he
will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to constitute or
which has constituted or which might cause or result in the stabilization or
manipulation of the price of any security of the Company or other violation
under Regulation M promulgated under the 1934 Act or otherwise, to facilitate
the sale or resale of the Shares.
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(t) Except
as disclosed in the Registration Statement and Prospectus under the caption Certain
Relationships and Related Party Transactions, no person related to the Company
as described in Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K promulgated under the Act
has or has had during the past three (3) fiscal years of the Company,
either directly or indirectly, (i) a material interest in any person or
entity which (A) furnishes or sells products which are furnished or sold
or are proposed to be furnished or sold by the Company or any Subsidiary, or (B) purchases
from or sells or furnishes to the Company or
any Subsidiary any goods or services, or (ii) a beneficial interest
in any contract or agreement to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or by which it may be bound or
affected. There are no existing agreements, arrangements, or transactions,
between or among the Company or any
Subsidiary and any officer, director of the Company or any Subsidiary which are required to be
described in the Registration Statement and Prospectus under the caption Certain
Relationships and Related Party Transactions and which are not so described.
(u) The
minute books of the Company have been provided to the Underwriters through
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C., counsel for the Underwriters (Underwriters
Counsel) and contain accurate summaries of all meetings and actions of the
directors, all committees of the Board of Directors and stockholders of the
Company since January 1, 2002, and reflect all transactions referred to in
such minutes accurately in all material respects.
(v) The
Company had at the date or dates indicated in the Registration Statement and
Prospectus a duly authorized, issued and outstanding capitalization as set
forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. Based on the assumptions stated in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company will have on the Closing
Date the as-adjusted stock capitalization set forth therein. Except as set forth in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus, on the Effective Date and on the Closing Date,
there will be no options to purchase, warrants or other rights to subscribe
for, or any securities or obligations convertible into, or any contracts or
commitments or preemptive rights or rights of first refusal to issue or sell
shares of the Companys or any Subsidiarys capital stock or any such warrants,
convertible securities or obligations.
Except as set forth in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, no
holder of any of the Companys securities has any rights, demand, piggyback
or otherwise, to have such securities registered under the Act, and all holders
with any such rights have agreed not to exercise such rights with respect to
the Registration Statement. The Company has the right under the terms of
its agreements with the holders of its securities to exclude from the
Registration Statement (by amendment or otherwise) any securities held by such
holders.
(w) The
Shares and the other securities of the Company conform to all descriptions and
statements in relation thereto in the Registration Statement and Prospectus;
the outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company, including the Selling
Stockholder Firm Shares and the Selling Stockholder Option Shares, have been
duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; the
outstanding options and warrants to purchase Common Stock have been duly
authorized and validly issued and constitute the valid and binding obligations
of the Company, and none of such outstanding shares of Common Stock or
outstanding warrants or options to purchase Common Stock were issued in
violation of the pre-emptive rights, rights of first refusal or similar rights
to subscribe for or purchase securities of the Company of any stockholder of
the Company. The offers and sales of the outstanding
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Common Stock and outstanding options and warrants to
purchase Common Stock since January 1, 2002 were at all relevant times
either registered under the Act and the applicable state securities or blue
sky laws or exempt from such registration requirements. None of the offers and sales of the
outstanding Common Stock or outstanding options or warrants to purchase Common
Stock are required to be integrated (within the meaning of the Act) with the
offered sale of the Shares.
(x) The
issuance and sale of the Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters from the
Company have been duly authorized and, upon delivery against payment therefor
as contemplated by this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable. The Shares will not be
subject to pre-emptive rights of any securityholder of the Company.
(y) Each
officer and director of the Company, each Selling Stockholder and each
beneficial owner of five percent (5%) or more of any of the outstanding issued
share capital of the Company has agreed to sign an agreement substantially in
the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the Lock-up Agreements). The Company has provided to Underwriters
Counsel true, accurate and complete copies of all of the Lock-up Agreements
presently in effect or effected hereby.
(z) Neither
the Company, nor any Subsidiary or any agent of the Company or any Subsidiary,
acting on behalf of the Company, has at any time (i) made any
contributions to any candidate for political office in violation of law, or
failed to disclose fully any such contributions in violation of law, (ii) made
any payment to any state, Federal or foreign governmental officer or official,
or any other person charged with similar public or quasi-public duties, other
than payments required or allowed by applicable law or (iii) made any
payment of funds of the Company or any Subsidiary or received or retained any
funds in violation of any law, rule or regulation and under circumstances
requiring the disclosure of such payment, receipt or retention of funds in the
Registration Statement and Prospectus.
The Companys and the Subsidiaries internal accounting controls and
procedures are sufficient to cause the Company and the Subsidiaries to comply
in all material respects with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as
amended.
(aa) The
Company is not an investment company or a company controlled by an investment
company, within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended. After giving effect to the
offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as
described in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, the Company will not be
an investment company within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended.
(bb) Except
as disclosed in Current Reports on Form 8-K filed by the Company, no
unregistered securities of the Company have been sold by the Company within the
two (2) years prior to the date hereof.
(cc) The
confidentiality agreements between the Company or the Subsidiaries and their
officers, employees and consultants are binding and enforceable obligations
upon the other parties thereto in accordance with their terms, except to the
extent enforceability may be limited by any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, fraudulent conveyance,
10
moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors rights
generally and to the extent that the remedy of specific performance and
injunction or other forms of equitable relief may be subject to equitable
defenses and the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor
may be brought.
(dd) Except
as set forth in the Registration Statement and Prospectus or on Schedule 1(ff)
annexed hereto, none of the Company or any Subsidiary has employee benefit
plans (including, without limitation, profit sharing and welfare benefit plans)
or deferred compensation arrangements that are subject to the provisions of the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. The Company has fulfilled its obligations, if
any, under the minimum funding standards of Section 302 of the United
States Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and the
regulations and published interpretations thereunder with respect to each plan
(as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA and such regulations and
published interpretations) in which employees of the Company or any Subsidiary
are eligible to participate and each such plan is in compliance in all material
respects with the presently applicable provisions of ERISA and such regulations
and published interpretations. None of
the Company or any Subsidiary has incurred any unpaid liability to the Pension
Benefit Guaranty Corporation (other than for the payment of premiums in the
ordinary course) or to any such plan under Title IV of ERISA.
(ee) The
Company has filed a registration statement on Form 8-A with respect to its
Common Stock under Section 12(g) of the 1934 Act and such
registration statement has been declared effective by the Commission. The Shares are listed on the NASDAQ. The Company has taken no action designed to,
or likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common
Stock under the 1934 Act or delisting the Common Stock from the NASDAQ, nor has
the Company received any notification that the Commission or NASDAQ is
contemplating terminating such registration or listing.
(ff) None
of the Company nor any Subsidiary is involved in any material labor disputes
with any of its employees and, to the Knowledge of the Company, no employee has
threatened the commencement of any labor disputes with the Company or any Subsidiary, nor has the Company or any Subsidiary received any notice of
any bankruptcy, labor disturbance or other event affecting any of its principal
suppliers or customers that could have a Material Adverse Effect. Each of the Company and each Subsidiary is in
compliance in all material respects with all federal, state, local, and foreign
laws and regulations respecting employment and employment practices, terms and
conditions of employment and wages and hours that are applicable to them. None of the Company nor any Subsidiary has
received notice of any pending investigations involving the Company or any
Subsidiary, by the U.S. Department of Labor or any other governmental agency
responsible for the enforcement of such federal, state, local, or foreign laws
and regulations. There is no unfair
labor practice charge or complaint against the Company or any Subsidiary
pending before the National Labor Relations Board or, to the Knowledge of the Company,
any strike, picketing, boycott, dispute, slowdown or stoppage pending or
threatened against or involving the Company or any Subsidiary and none has ever
occurred. No collective bargaining
representation question exists respecting the employees of the Company or any
Subsidiary, and no collective bargaining agreement or modification thereof is
currently being negotiated by the Company or any Subsidiary. None of the Company nor any Subsidiary has
received notice that any grievance or arbitration proceeding is pending under
any
11
expired or existing collective bargaining agreements
of the Company or any Subsidiary. No
material labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any Subsidiary
exists or to, the Knowledge of the Company, is imminent.
(gg) The
Company has provided to Underwriters Counsel, complete and accurate copies of
all agreements, certificates, correspondence and other items, documents and
information requested by such counsel, including in such counsels due
diligence memorandum dated August 19, 2005.
(hh) The
Company and each of its Subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting
controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions
are executed in accordance with managements general or specific
authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit
preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted
accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access
to assets is permitted only in accordance with managements general or specific
authorization; and (iv) existing assets are verified at reasonable
intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any discrepancies.
(ii) The
Company has established and maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as
such term is defined in Rule 13a-14 under the 1934 Act), which (i) are
designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company is made
known to the Companys principal executive officer and its principal financial
officer by others within those entities; (ii) provide for the periodic
evaluation of the effectiveness of such disclosure controls and procedures as
of a date within 90 days prior to the filing of the Companys most recent annual
or quarterly report with the Commission; and (iii) are effective in all
material respects to perform the functions for which they were established.
(jj) Based
on the evaluation of its disclosure controls and procedures, the Company is not
aware of (i) any significant deficiency in the design or operation of
internal controls which could adversely affect the Companys ability to record,
process, summarize and report financial data or any material weaknesses in
internal controls; or (ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that
involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the
Companys internal controls.
(kk) Since
the date of the most recent evaluation of such disclosure controls and
procedures, there have been no changes that have materially affected, or are
reasonably likely to materially affect, the Companys internal control over
financial reporting, including any corrective actions with regard to
significant deficiencies and material weaknesses.
(ll) There
is and has been, and on the Closing Date there will be, no failure on the part
of the Company and any of the Companys directors or officers, in their
capacities as such, to comply with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002 (the Sarbanes-Oxley Act) and the rules and regulations promulgated
in connection therewith, including Section 402 related to loans and
Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.
(mm) Except as
set forth in the Registration Statement and Prospectus (exclusive of any
supplement thereto), the Company (A) is in compliance with any and all
applicable
12
foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations
relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or
hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants applicable
to its Business (Environmental Laws), except where any non-compliance would
not have a Material Adverse Effect, (B) has received and is in compliance
with all Permits required under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct its
Business, except where any non-compliance would not have a Material Adverse
Effect, and (C) has not received notice of any actual or potential
liability for the investigation or remediation of any disposal or release of
hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants. The Company has not received notice and
otherwise has no Knowledge that it has been named as a potentially responsible
party under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and
Liability Act of 1980, as amended.
(nn) In the
ordinary course of its business, the Company conducts a periodic review of the
effect of Environmental Laws on the business, operations and properties of the
Company and its Subsidiaries, in the course of which it identifies and
evaluates associated costs and liabilities (including, without limitation, any
capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties
or compliance with Environmental Laws or any Permit, any related constraints on
operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties). On the basis of such review and the amount of
its established reserves, the Company has reasonably concluded that such
associated costs and liabilities would not, individually or in the aggregate,
result in a material expenditure by the Company or any Subsidiary.
(oo) The
Company is subject to the reporting requirements of the Act and 1934 Act and
has filed all reports and statements required under the Act and 1934 Act on a
timely basis, and each report and statement was true and complete in all
material respects when filed and did not contain an untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(pp) The
Companys Board of Directors has validly appointed an audit committee, each of
whose members are independent as specified in Section 10A(m)(3) of
the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder as well as any
additional requirements imposed by the listing requirements of the NASDAQ. Such audit committee has adopted the
procedures required by Section 10A(m)(4) of the 1934 Act and the rules and
regulations thereunder.
(qq) To the
Companys knowledge, after reasonable investigation under the circumstances,
there are no affiliations or associations between any member of the NASD and
any Company officer, director or holder of five percent (5%) or more of the
Companys securities, except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus.
(rr) There
are no material off-balance sheet arrangements (as defined in Item 303 of
Regulation S-K) that have or are reasonably likely to have a current or future
effect on the Companys financial condition, revenues or expenses, changes in
financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures or
capital resources.
13
(ss) Any
certificate signed by an officer of the Company in his capacity as such and
delivered to the Underwriters or Underwriters Counsel pursuant to this
Agreement shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the
Underwriters as to the matters set forth in such certificate.
2. Representations
and Warranties of the Selling Stockholders.
Each Selling Stockholder represents and warrants to, and agrees with,
the Underwriters that, as of the Effective Date, the First Closing Date and
each Option Closing Date (as defined below):
(i) This
Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by or on behalf of
such Selling Stockholder and is a valid and binding agreement of such Selling
Stockholder, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as rights to
indemnification hereunder may be limited by applicable law and except as the
enforcement hereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,
moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and
remedies of creditors or by general equitable principles.
(ii) Each
of the (i) Custody Agreement signed by such Selling Stockholder and [ ],
as custodian (the Custodian), relating to the deposit of the Shares to be
sold by such Selling Stockholder (the Custody Agreement) and (ii) Power
of Attorney appointing certain individuals named therein as such Selling
Stockholders attorneys-in-fact (each, an Attorney-in-Fact) to the extent set
forth therein relating to the transactions contemplated hereby and by the Prospectus
(the Power of Attorney), of such Selling Stockholder has been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by such Selling Stockholder and is a valid
and binding agreement of such Selling Stockholder, enforceable in accordance
with its terms, except as rights to indemnification thereunder may be limited
by applicable law and except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws
relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors or by general
equitable principles. Each Selling
Stockholder agrees that the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder on
deposit with the Custodian is subject to the interests of the Underwriters,
that the arrangements made for such custody are to that extent irrevocable, and
that the obligations of such Selling Stockholder hereunder shall not be
terminated, except as provided in this Agreement or in the Custody Agreement,
by any act of the Selling Stockholder, by operation of law, by death or incapacity
of such Selling Stockholder or by the occurrence of any other event. If such Selling Stockholder should die or
become incapacitated, or in any other event should occur, before the delivery
of the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder, the documents
evidencing the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder then on deposit
with the Custodian shall be delivered by the Custodian in accordance with the
terms and conditions of this Agreement as if such death, incapacity or other event
had not occurred, regardless of whether or not the Custodian shall have
received notice thereof.
(iii) Such
Selling Stockholder is the lawful owner of the Shares to be sold by such
Selling Stockholder hereunder and upon sale and delivery of, and payment for,
such Shares, as provided herein, such Selling Stockholder will convey good and
marketable title to such Shares, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances,
equities and claims whatsoever.
14
(iv) Such
Selling Stockholder has, and on each Closing Date will have, good and valid
title to all of the Company Shares which may be sold by such Selling
Stockholder pursuant to this Agreement on such date and the legal right and
power, and all authorizations and approvals required by law and under its
charter or by-laws, to enter into this Agreement and its Custody Agreement and
Power of Attorney, to sell, transfer and deliver all of the Shares which may be
sold by such Selling Stockholder pursuant to this Agreement and to comply with
its other obligations hereunder and thereunder.
(v) No
consent, approval, authorization or order of any court or governmental agency
or body is required for the consummation by such Selling Stockholder of the
transactions contemplated herein, except such as may have been obtained under
the Act and such as may be required under the blue sky laws of any jurisdiction
in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by the
Underwriters and such other approvals as have been obtained.
(vi) Neither
the sale of the Securities being sold by such Selling Stockholder nor the
consummation of any other of the transactions herein contemplated by such
Selling Stockholder or the fulfillment of the terms hereof by such Selling
Stockholder will conflict with, result in a breach or violation of, or
constitute a default under any law or the terms of any indenture or other
agreement or instrument to which such Selling Stockholder is party or bound,
any judgment, order or decree applicable to such Selling Stockholder or any
court or regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body or
arbitrator having jurisdiction over such Selling Stockholder.
(vii) Such
Selling Stockholder does not have any registration or other similar rights to have
any equity or debt securities registered for sale by the Company under the
Registration Statement or included in the offering contemplated by this
Agreement.
(viii) Such
Selling Stockholder does not have, or has waived prior to the date hereof, any
preemptive right, co-sale right or right of first refusal or other similar
right to purchase any of the Shares that are to be sold by the Company or any
of the other Selling Stockholders to the Underwriters pursuant to this
Agreement; and such Selling Stockholder does not own any warrants, options or
similar rights to acquire, and does not have any right or arrangement to
acquire, any capital stock, right, warrants, options or other securities from
the Company, other than those described in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus.
(ix) All
information furnished by or on behalf of such Selling Stockholder in writing
expressly for use in the Registration Statement and Prospectus is, and on each
Closing Date will be, true, correct, and complete in all material respects, and
does not, and on each Closing Date will not, contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make such
information not misleading. Such Selling
Stockholder confirms as accurate the number of shares of Company Shares set
forth opposite such Selling Stockholders name in the Prospectus under the
caption Principal and Selling Stockholders (both prior to and after giving
effect to the sale of the Shares).
15
(x) Such
Selling Stockholder has not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly,
any action designed to or that might cause or result in stabilization or
manipulation of the price of the Common Stock to facilitate the sale or resale
of the Shares.
(xi) There
are no transfer taxes or other similar fees or charges under Federal law or the
laws of any state, or any political subdivision thereof, required to be paid in
connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the sale by the
Selling Stockholders of the Shares.
(xii) The
Selling Stockholders have not distributed and will not distribute, prior to the
later of the Option Closing Date and the completion of the Underwriters
distribution of the Shares, any offering material in connection with the
offering and sale of the Shares by such Selling Stockholder other than a
Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or the Registration Statement.
(b) In
addition to the representations and warranties of the Selling Stockholders set
forth in Section 2(a) above, David Ruckert (the Company Selling
Stockholder) represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Underwriters
that, as of the Effective Date, the First Closing Date and each Option Closing
Date (as defined below):
(i) The
Company Selling Stockholder has no reason to believe that the representations
and warranties of the Company contained in Section 1 hereof are not true
and correct, and is familiar with the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus. The Company Selling Stockholder
has no knowledge of any untrue statement of a material fact or omission of a
material fact required to be stated in the Registration Statement or necessary
to make the statements therein not misleading.
The Company Selling Stockholder has no knowledge of an untrue statement
of material fact or omission of a material fact necessary to be stated in the
Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances in which they were made, not misleading. The Company Selling Stockholder is not
prompted to sell the Shares to be sold by the Company Selling Stockholder by
any information concerning the Company which is not set forth in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus.
(c) Any
certificate signed by or on behalf of any Selling Stockholder and delivered to
the Underwriter or to Underwriters Counsel shall be deemed to be a
representation and warranty by such Selling Stockholder to each Underwriter as
to the matters covered thereby.
3. Purchase,
Delivery and Sale of the Shares.
(a) Upon
the terms herein set forth, (i) the Company agrees to issue and sell to
the several Underwriters the Company Firm Shares and (ii) the Selling
Stockholders agree to sell to the several Underwriters the Selling Stockholder
Firm Shares, each Selling Stockholder selling the number of Selling Stockholder
Firm Shares set forth opposite such Selling Stockholders name on Schedule B. On the basis of the representations,
warranties and agreements herein contained, and upon the terms but subject to
the conditions herein set forth, the Underwriters agree, severally and not
jointly, to purchase from the Company and the Selling Stockholders the
respective number of Firm Shares set forth opposite their names on Schedule A.
16
The purchase price per Firm Share to be paid by the
several Underwriters to the Company and the Selling Stockholders shall be $[ ]
per share.
Payment for the Firm Shares to be sold by
the Company shall be made at the First Closing Date (and, if applicable, at the
Option Closing Date) by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the
order of the Company. Payment for the
Firm Shares to be sold by the Selling Stockholders shall be made at the First
Closing Date (and, if applicable, at the Option Closing Date) by wire transfer
of immediately available funds to the order of the Custodian.
(b) Delivery
of the Firm Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters and payment therefor
shall be made by the Company and the Underwriters at 6:00 a.m. San
Francisco time, at the offices of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP (or at
such other place as may be agreed upon among the Underwriters and the Company),
(i) on the third (3rd) full business day following the date of this
Agreement, (ii) if this Agreement is executed and delivered after 1:30 P.M.,
San Francisco time, the fourth (4th) full business day following the date of
this Agreement or (iii) at such other time and date not later than seven (7) full
business days following the first day that Shares are traded as the
Underwriters and the Company may determine (or at such time and date to which
payment and delivery shall have been postponed pursuant to Section 3
hereof), such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called the First
Closing Date; provided, however, that if the Company has not made available to
the Underwriters copies of the Prospectus within the time provided in this
Agreement, the Underwriters may, in their sole discretion, postpone the Closing
Date until no later than two (2) full business days following delivery of
copies of the Prospectus to the Underwriters.
(c) The
Company and the Selling Stockholders shall deliver, or cause to be delivered a
credit representing the Firm Shares to an account or accounts at The Depository
Trust Company to the accounts of the Underwriters at the First Closing Date,
against the irrevocable release of a wire transfer of immediately available
funds for the amount of the purchase price therefor. The Company and the Selling Stockholders
shall also deliver, or cause to be delivered a credit representing the Option
Shares to an account or accounts at The Depository Trust Company to the
accounts of the Underwriters, at the First Closing Date or the Option Closing
Date, as the case may be, against the irrevocable release of a wire transfer of
immediately available funds for the amount of the purchase price therefor. Time shall be of the essence, and delivery at
the time and place specified in this Agreement is a further condition to the obligations
of the Underwriters. Not later than
12:00 noon on the second business day following the date the Shares are
released by the Underwriters for sale to the public, the Company shall deliver
or cause to be delivered copies of the Prospectus in such quantities and at
such places as the Underwriters shall request.
(d) Subject
to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, and on the basis of the
representations, warranties and agreements contained herein, for the purposes
of covering any over-allotments in connection with the distribution and sale of
the Firm Shares as described in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, the
Underwriters are hereby granted an option to purchase all or any part of the
Option Shares from the Company and the Selling Stockholders. The purchase price to be paid per share for
the Option Shares will be the same price as the price per Firm Share set forth
in Section 3(a) hereof. The
option granted hereby may be exercised by notice from the Underwriters to the
Company and the Selling Stockholders in accordance with
17
Section 3(e) hereof solely by the
Underwriters as to all or any part of the Option Shares at any time within
thirty (30) days after the Effective Date.
The Underwriters will not be under any obligation to purchase any Option
Shares prior to the exercise by the Underwriters of such option in accordance
with Section 3(e) hereof.
(e) The
option granted pursuant to Section 3(d) may be exercised by Merriman
Curhan Ford & Co. by giving oral notice to the Company and the Selling
Stockholders, which must be confirmed by a letter or facsimile setting forth
the number of Option Shares to be purchased by the Underwriter, the date and
time for delivery of and payment for the Option Shares to be purchased and
stating that the Option Shares referred to therein are to be used for the sole
purpose of covering over-allotments in connection with the distribution and
sale of the Firm Shares by the Underwriter.
If such notice is given prior to the First Closing Date, the date set
forth therein for such delivery and payment will be the First Closing
Date. If such notice is given on or
after the First Closing Date, the date set forth therein for such delivery and
payment will not be earlier than two (2) full business days
thereafter. In either event, the date so
set forth will not be more than fifteen (15) full business days after the date
of such notice. The date and time set
forth in such notice is herein called the Option Closing Date. Upon exercise of such option, through the
Underwriters delivery of the aforementioned notice, the Company and the
Selling Stockholders will become obligated to convey to the Underwriters, and,
subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Section 3(e) hereof,
the Underwriters will become obligated to purchase, the number of Option Shares
specified in such notice. If any Option
Shares are to be purchased, (i) each Underwriter agrees, severally and not
jointly, to purchase the number of Option Shares (subject to such adjustments
to eliminate fractional shares as the Underwriters may determine) that bears
the same proportion to the total number of Option Shares to be purchased as the
number of Firm Shares set forth on Schedule A opposite the name of
such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares and (ii) the
Company and each Selling Stockholder agrees, severally and not jointly, to sell
the number of Option Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate
fractional shares as the Underwriters may determine) that bears the same
proportion to the total number of Option Shares to be sold as the number of
Option Shares set forth in Schedule B opposite the name of such
Selling Stockholder (or, in the case of the Company, as the number of Option
Shares to be sold by the Company as set forth in the paragraph Introductory
of this Agreement) bears to the total number of Option Shares. The Underwriters may cancel the option at any
time prior to its expiration by giving written notice of such cancellation to
the Company and the Selling Stockholders.
(f) Payment
for any Option Shares purchased will be made to the Company and the Selling
Stockholders by wire transfer in immediately-available funds to the order of
the Company and the Custodian, respectively, against delivery of the Option
Shares purchased by the Underwriter at the offices of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw
Pittman LLP (or at such other location as the Underwriters, the Company and the
Selling Stockholders may agree).
(g) Unless
the Shares are to be delivered by a fast transfer, the Company and the
Selling Stockholders will make the certificates for the Shares to be purchased
by the Underwriters hereunder available to the Underwriters for inspection,
checking and packaging at the office of the Companys transfer agent or
correspondent in [ ],
not less than one (1) full business day prior to the First Closing Date
and the Option Closing Date, as the case may be (both of which are collectively
referred to herein as the Closing Dates).
The certificates
18
representing the Shares shall be in such names and
denominations as the Underwriters may request at least two (2) full
business days prior to the respective Closing Dates. In the event that the Underwriters determine
to utilize DTC, the parties will use their best efforts to make the offering of
the Shares DTC eligible and to comply with the procedures thereof.
4. Public
Offering by the Underwriters. The
Underwriters agree to cause the Shares to be offered to the public initially at
the price and under the terms set forth in the Registration Statement and
Prospectus as soon, on or after the effective date of this Agreement, as the
Underwriters deem advisable, but no more than five (5) full business days
after such effective date. The Company
is advised by the Underwriters that the Shares are to be offered to the public
initially at $
a share (the Public Offering Price).
5. Agreements
of the Company. The Company
covenants and agrees with the Underwriters that:
(a) If
the Registration Statement has not been declared effective prior to the time of
execution of this Agreement, the Company will use its best efforts to cause the
Registration Statement to become effective as promptly as possible, or, if the
procedure in Rule 430A of the Act is followed, to prepare and timely file
with the Commission under Rule 424(b) under the Act a Prospectus in a
form approved by the Underwriters containing information previously omitted at
the time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement in reliance on Rule 430A
of the Act, and will not at any time, whether before or after the Effective
Date, file any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, (i) which
shall not have been previously submitted to, and approved by, the Underwriters
or the Underwriters Counsel within a reasonable time prior to the filing
thereof, (ii) to which the Underwriters or the Underwriters Counsel shall
have reasonably objected as not being in compliance with the Act or the Rules and
Regulations or (iii) which is not in compliance with the Act or the Rules and
Regulations. If the Company elects to
rely on Rule 462(b) under the Act, the Company shall file a Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement with the Commission in compliance with Rule 462(b) under
the Act prior to the time confirmations are sent or given, as specified by Rule 462(b)(2) under
the Act, and shall pay the applicable fees in accordance with Rule 111
under the Act.
(b) The
Company will notify the Underwriters, promptly after it shall have received
notice of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any amendment or
supplement thereto, of the receipt of any comments of the Commission with
respect thereto, and of the time when the Registration Statement or any post-effective
amendment thereto has become effective or any supplement to the Prospectus has
been filed.
(c) The
Company will advise the Underwriters promptly of any request of the Commission
for an amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus,
or for any additional information, or of the issuance by the Commission of any
stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, or of
any judgment, order, injunction or decree preventing or suspending the use of
any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, or of the institution of any
proceedings for any of such purposes, of which it has Knowledge, and will use
its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order, and, if issued, to
obtain as promptly as possible the lifting thereof.
19
(d) If
at any time when a Prospectus relating to the Shares is required, in the
opinion of Underwriters Counsel, to be delivered under the Act by the
Underwriters (the Prospectus Delivery Period), any event shall have occurred
as a result of which, in the reasonable opinion of counsel for the Company or
the Underwriters Counsel, the Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented,
includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein,
in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading,
or if it is necessary at any time to amend the Prospectus to comply with the
Act, the Company will notify the Underwriters promptly and prepare and file
with the Commission an appropriate amendment or supplement in accordance with Section 10
of the Act, each such amendment or supplement to be reasonably satisfactory to
the Underwriters Counsel, and the Company will furnish to the Underwriters
copies of such amendment or supplement as soon as available and in such
quantities as the Underwriters may reasonably request.
(e) Within
the Prospectus Delivery Period, or pursuant to the undertakings of the Company
in the Registration Statement, the Company, at its own expense, will comply in
all material respects with all requirements imposed upon it by the Act, the Rules and
Regulations, the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission
promulgated under the 1934 Act, each as now or hereafter amended or
supplemented, and by any order of the Commission so far as necessary to permit
the continuance of sales of, or dealings in, the Shares.
(f) The
Company will furnish to the Underwriters, without charge, a signed copy of the
Registration Statement and of any amendment or supplement thereto which has
been filed prior to the date of this Agreement, together with two (2) copies
of each exhibit filed therewith, and three (3) conformed copies of such
Registration Statement and as many amendments thereto (unsigned and exclusive
of exhibits) as the Underwriters may reasonably request. The signed copies of the Registration Statement
so furnished to the Underwriters will include signed copies of any and all
consents and reports of the independent public auditors as to the financial
statements included in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, and signed
copies of any and all consents and certificates of any other person whose
profession gives authority to statements made by them and who are named in the
Registration Statement or Prospectus as having prepared, certified or reviewed
any parts thereof.
(g) The
Company will deliver to the Underwriters, without charge, (i) prior to the
Effective Date, copies of each Preliminary Prospectus filed with the Commission
bearing in red ink the statement required by Item 501 of Regulation S-K of the Rules and
Regulations; (ii) on and from time to time after the Effective Date,
copies of the Prospectus; and (iii) as soon as they are available, and
from time to time thereafter, copies of each amended or supplemented
Prospectus, and the number of copies to be delivered in each such case will be
such as the Underwriters may reasonably request. The Company has consented and
hereby consents to the use of each Preliminary Prospectus for the purposes
permitted by the Act and the Rules and Regulations. The Company authorizes the Underwriters to
use the Prospectus in connection with the sale of the Shares during the
Prospectus Delivery Period.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Underwriters shall not use any
Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus if the Company has given the
Underwriters written notice of the occurrence, or imminently potential
occurrence, of any development that could cause such Preliminary Prospectus or
Prospectus, as the case may be, to include an untrue statement of a material
fact or to omit to state any material fact required
20
to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances, not misleading.
(h) The
Company will take such action to qualify the Shares for offer and sale under
the securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Underwriters
shall reasonably request.
(i) During the period commencing on the date
hereof and ending [90 days] from the First Closing Date (the Lock-Up Period),
the Company shall not (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any
option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant
any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or
dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or any
securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock, or
(2) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in
whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common
Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above
is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash
or otherwise, without the prior written consent of Merriman Curhan Ford &
Co. (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld) and the prior consent of a
majority of the Companys independent directors.
The
foregoing paragraph shall not apply to issuances of securities pursuant to the
Companys 1988 Stock Option Plan, as amended, 1994 Stock Option Plan, as
amended, 1994 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as amended and 1994 Directors
Stock Option Plan, as amended. The Company
agrees that if (a) during the last 18 days of the Lock-Up Period, the
Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating
to the Company occurs; or (b) prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up
Period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the
16-day period beginning on the last day of the Lock-Up Period, the restrictions
set forth herein shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 19-day
period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of
the material news or material event, as applicable, unless Merriman Curhan Ford &
Co. waives, in writing, such extension.
(j) As
soon as practicable, but in any event not later than forty five (45) days after
the end of the 12-month period beginning on the day after the end of the fiscal
quarter of the Company during which the effective date of the Registration
Statement is deemed to occur pursuant to Rule 158(c), the Company will
make generally available to its security holders (within the meaning of Section 11
(a) of the Act) an earnings statement of the Company meeting the
requirements of Rule 158(a) under the Act covering a period of at
least twelve (12) months beginning after the Effective Date, and advise the
Underwriters that such statement has been so made available.
(k) The
Company will apply the net proceeds (Proceeds) it realizes from the sale of
the Shares in the manner set forth under the caption Use of Proceeds in the
Prospectus.
(l) During
the course of the distribution of the Shares, the Company will not and the
Company will cause its officers and directors not to take, directly or
indirectly, any action designed to or which might, in the future, cause or
result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Shares. During the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company
will not issue
21
press releases or engage in any other publicity
without the Underwriters prior written consent, which consent shall not be
unreasonably withheld.
(m) The
Company will use its best efforts, at its cost and expense, to take all
necessary and appropriate action to list the Shares on the NASDAQ and maintain
such listing for as long as the Shares are so qualified.
(n) On
the Closing Dates, all transfer or other taxes (other than income taxes) which
are required to be paid in connection with the sale and transfer of the Shares
will have been fully paid by the Company and all laws imposing such taxes, if
any, will have been fully complied with.
(o) Subsequent
to the dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and
Prospectus and prior to the Closing Dates, except as disclosed in or
contemplated by the Registration Statement and Prospectus, (i) the Company
will not have incurred any liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent, or
entered into any material transactions other than in the ordinary course of business;
(ii) there shall not have been any change in the capital stock, funded
debt (other than regular repayments of principal and interest on existing
indebtedness) or other securities of the Company (except as contemplated in the
Registration Statement), or any Material Adverse Effect; and (iii) the
Company shall not have paid or declared any dividend or other distribution on
its Common Stock or its other securities or redeemed or repurchased any of its
Common Stock or other securities.
6. Covenants
of the Selling Stockholders. Each
Selling Stockholder further covenants and agrees with each Underwriter:
(a) Such
Selling Stockholder will not, during the Lock-Up Period or any extension
thereof, make a disposition of Common Stock (as defined in Exhibit A hereto)
now owned or hereafter acquired directly by such person or with respect to
which such person has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition, otherwise
than (i) as a bona fide gift or gifts, provided that the donee or donees
thereof agree to be bound by the restrictions set forth herein, (ii) to
any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the
immediate family of the undersigned, provided that the trustee of the trust
agrees to be bound by the restrictions set forth herein, and provided further
that any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value, (iii) to
the Underwriters pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, or (iv) in
transactions relating to shares of Common Stock acquired by the undersigned in
open market transactions after the completion of the public offering of the Shares. The foregoing restriction has been expressly
agreed to preclude the holder of the Securities from engaging in any hedging or
other transaction which is designed to or reasonably expected to lead to or
result in a disposition of Securities during the Lock-Up Period or any
extension thereof, even if such Securities would be disposed of by someone
other than such holder. Such prohibited
hedging or other transactions would include, without limitation, any short sale
(whether or not against the box) or any purchase, sale or grant of any right
(including, without limitation, any put or call option) with respect to any
Securities or with respect to any security (other than a broad-based market
basket or index) that includes, relates to or derives any significant part of
its value from Securities. Furthermore,
such person has also agreed and consented to the entry of stop transfer
instructions with the
22
Companys transfer agent against the transfer of the
Securities held by such person except in compliance with this restriction.
(b) To
deliver to the Underwriters prior to the First Closing Date a properly
completed and executed United States Treasury Department Form W-8 (if the
Selling Stockholder is a non-United States person) or Form W-9 (if the
Selling Stockholder is a United States Person).
(c) If,
at any time prior to the date on which the distribution of the Common Stock as
contemplated herein and in the Prospectus has been completed, as determined by
the Underwriters, such Selling Stockholder has knowledge of the occurrence of
any event as a result of which the Prospectus or the Registration Statement, in
each case as then amended or supplemented, would include an untrue statement of
a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the
statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading, such Selling Stockholder will promptly notify the Company and
the Underwriters.
7. Indemnity and Contribution by the Company, the
Selling Stockholders and the Underwriters.
(a) The Company shall indemnify, defend and hold
harmless each Underwriter and any person who controls any Underwriter within
the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act,
from and against any loss, expense, liability, damage or claim (including the
reasonable cost of investigation) which the Underwriters or any such
controlling person may incur insofar as such loss, expense, liability, damage
or claim arises out of or, is based upon (i) any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration
Statement (or in the Registration Statement as amended by any post-effective
amendment thereof by the Company) or the Prospectus (the term Prospectus for
the purpose of this Section 7 being deemed to include any Preliminary
Prospectus, the Prospectus and any Prospectus supplements, in each case as
amended or supplemented by the Company), (ii) any application or other
document, or any amendment or supplement thereto, executed by the Company or
based upon written information furnished by or on behalf of the Company filed
in any jurisdiction (domestic or foreign) in order to qualify the Shares under
the securities or blue sky laws thereof or filed with the Commission or any
securities association or securities exchange (each an Application), (iii) any
omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated in
any such Registration Statement, Prospectus or Application or necessary to make
the statements made therein not misleading; except to the extent that any such
loss, expense, liability, damage or claim arises out of or is based upon any
such untrue statement or omission of a material fact contained in and in
conformity with information furnished in writing by or on behalf of the
Underwriters to the Company and the Selling Stockholders expressly for use in
such Registration Statement or such Prospectus.
(b) Each
Selling Stockholder agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold
harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who sign the Registration
Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning
of either Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act and
each Underwriter and any person who controls any Underwriter within the meaning
of either Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act,
23
from and against any
loss, expense, liability, damage or claim (including the reasonable cost of
investigation) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or in the
Registration Statement as amended by any post-effective amendment thereof by
the Company) or the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented if the Company shall
have furnished any amendments or supplements thereto), or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state a
material fact required to be stated in any such Registration Statement or
Prospectus or necessary to make the statements made therein not misleading,
but only with reference to information relating to such Selling Stockholder
furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Selling Stockholder expressly for
use in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus
or any amendments or supplements thereto; and provided, however, that the
aggregate liability of each Selling Stockholder under this Section 7 shall
not exceed an amount equal to the Public Offering Price of the Shares sold by
such Selling Stockholder, less the aggregate underwriting discounts and
commissions applicable to such Shares, as set forth on the front cover page of
the Prospectus.
(c) Each of the Underwriters shall, severally and not
jointly, indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Company, the Companys
directors, officers, employees and agents, each person who controls the Company
within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the 1934
Act and the Selling Stockholders from and against any loss, expense, liability,
damage or claim (including the reasonable cost of investigation) which, jointly
or severally, the Company or any such person may incur but only insofar as such
loss, expense, liability, damage or claim arises out of or is based upon (i) any
untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or
in the Registration Statement as amended by any post-effective amendment
thereof by the Company) or the Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity
with information furnished in writing by such Underwriter to the Company and
the Selling Stockholders expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or in
the Registration Statement as amended by any post-effective amendment thereof
by the Company) or the Prospectus, as specified in the last sentence of this Section 7(c),
or (ii) any omission to state a material fact regarding such Underwriter
required to be stated in such Registration Statement or the Prospectus or
necessary to make such statement not misleading. The obligation of each of the Underwriters to
indemnify the Company (including any director, officer, employee, agent or
control person thereof) and the Selling Stockholders shall only relate to any
untrue statement or omission which applies to the Underwriter. The Company, the Selling Stockholders and the
Underwriters acknowledge that the information set forth (x) on the cover page of
the Prospectus concerning the Underwriters, relating to the delivery of the
Shares and (y) under the caption Underwriting in the Prospectus with respect
to passive market and stabilization activities by the Underwriter constitute
the only information furnished by or on behalf of the Underwriters to the Company
and the Selling Stockholders for purposes of this Section 7.
(d) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party
under subsection (a), (b) or (c) above of notice of any claims
or the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in
respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under such
subsection, notify in writing each party against whom indemnification is to be
sought of the claim or the commencement thereof (but the failure so to notify
an indemnifying party shall not (i) relieve the indemnifying party from
any liability which it may have under this Section 7 to the extent that it
did not otherwise learn of such action and such failure does not materially
prejudice the indemnifying party as a result thereof and (ii) in any event
shall not relieve it from any
24
liability that such indemnifying
party may have otherwise than on account of the indemnity agreement
hereunder). The indemnifying party shall
be entitled to appoint counsel of the indemnifying partys choice at the
indemnifying partys expense to represent the indemnified party in any action
for which indemnification is sought (in which case the indemnifying party shall
not thereafter be responsible for the fees and expenses of any separate counsel
retained by the indemnified party or parties except as set forth below);
provided, however, that such counsel shall be satisfactory to the indemnified
party. The indemnifying party may
participate in the defense of such action at its own expense, and to the extent
it may elect, by written notice delivered to the indemnified party promptly
after receiving the aforesaid notice from such indemnified party, the
indemnifying party may assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably
satisfactory to such indemnified party; provided, however, that counsel to the
indemnifying party shall not (except with the written consent of the
indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
indemnified party or parties shall have the right to employ its or their own
counsel in any such case, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at
the expense of such indemnified party or parties unless (i) the employment
of such counsel shall have been authorized in writing by one of the
indemnifying parties in connection with the defense of such action, (ii) the
indemnifying parties shall not have employed satisfactory counsel to have
charge of the defense of such action within a reasonable time after notice of
commencement of the action, (iii) the indemnifying party does not
diligently defend the action after assumption of the defense, or (iv) such
indemnified party or parties shall have reasonably concluded that there may be
defenses available to it or them which are different from or additional to
those available to one or all of the indemnifying parties (in which case the
indemnifying parties shall not have the right to direct the defense of such
action on behalf of the indemnified party or parties), in any of which events
the fees and expenses of one counsel selected by all of the indemnified parties
to represent them all (in addition to one local counsel selected by all of the
indemnified parties to represent them all in each applicable jurisdiction)
shall be borne by the indemnifying parties.
No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the
indemnified parties, effect any settlement or compromise of, or consent to the
entry of judgment with respect to, any litigation, or any investigation or
proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any
claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could have
been sought under this Section 7 (whether or not the indemnified parties
are actual or potential parties thereto), unless (x) such settlement,
compromise or consent (I) includes an unconditional release of the indemnified
party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation,
proceeding or claim and (II) does not include a statement as to, or an
admission of, fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of the
indemnified party and (y) the indemnifying party reaffirms its indemnification
obligations pursuant to this Agreement.
(e) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 7
is unavailable to an indemnified party under subsections (a), (b) or (c) of
this Section 7 in respect of any losses, expenses, liabilities, damages or
claims referred to therein, then each applicable indemnifying party, in lieu of
indemnifying such indemnified party, shall contribute to the amount paid or
payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, expenses,
liabilities, damages or claims (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to
reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling
Stockholders on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from the
offering of the Shares or (ii) if (but only if) the allocation provided by
clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as
is appropriate to reflect not only the
25
relative benefits referred to in
clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company and the
Selling Stockholders on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other with
respect to the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, expenses,
liabilities, damages or claims, as well as any other relevant equitable
considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling
Stockholders on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other with respect to
such offering shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total
proceeds (net of underwriting discounts and commissions but before deducting
expenses) received by the Company and the Selling Stockholders from the Shares
sold under this Agreement, on the one hand, and the total underwriting
discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters with respect to the
Shares purchased under this Agreement, on the other hand, bear to the total
gross proceeds from the offering of the Shares under this Agreement, in each
case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. The relative fault of the Company and the
Selling Stockholders on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be
determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission
relates to information supplied by the Company, the Selling Stockholders or by
the Underwriters, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge,
access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or
omission. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses,
claims, damages and liabilities referred to above shall be deemed to include
any legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in
connection with investigating or defending any claim or action.
(f) The
Company, the Selling Stockholders and the Underwriters agree that it would not
be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to Section 7(e) were
determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which
does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in Section 7(e)(i) and,
if applicable Section 7(e)(ii), above.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, (i) none of
the Underwriters shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the
underwriting discounts and commissions applicable to the Shares purchased by
the Underwriters and, (ii) no person guilty of fraudulent
misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act)
shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such
fraudulent misrepresentation. The
Underwriters obligations in Section 7(e) shall be several in
proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint.
8. Survival
of Agreements, etc. All statements
contained in any certificate delivered by or on behalf of the parties in
connection with this Agreement shall be deemed to be representations and
warranties hereunder. Notwithstanding
any investigations made by or on behalf of the parties to this Agreement, all
representations, warranties, indemnities and agreements made by the parties to
this Agreement or pursuant hereto shall remain in full force and effect and
will survive delivery of and the payment for the Shares. The provisions of Sections 7, 8, 13 and 19
shall survive the termination or cancellation of this Agreement.
9. Conditions
of Underwriters Obligations. The
obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Shares as
provided herein on the First Closing Date and, with respect to the Option
Shares, the Option Closing Date, shall be subject to the accuracy of the
representations and warranties on the part of the Company and the Selling
Stockholders set forth in Section 1 and Section 2 hereof as of the
date hereof and as of the First Closing Date as
26
though then made and, with respect to the Option
Shares, as of the Option Closing Date as though then made, to the timely
performance by the Company and the Selling Stockholders of their respective
covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to each of the following
additional conditions:
(a) The
Registration Statement shall have become effective prior to the execution of
this Agreement, or at such later date as shall be consented to in writing by
the Underwriters; and no stop order suspending the effectiveness thereof shall
have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been initiated
or, to the Knowledge of the Company, any Selling Shareholder or any
Underwriter, threatened by the Commission, and any request of the Commission
for additional information (to be included in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus or otherwise) shall have been complied with to the satisfaction of
Underwriters Counsel; and the NASD shall have raised no objection to the
fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements. No
amendment to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the
Prospectus to which the Underwriters or the Underwriters Counsel shall have
reasonably objected, after having received reasonable notice of a proposal to
file the same, shall have been filed.
(b) All
corporate proceedings and other legal matters in connection with this
Agreement, the form of Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and the
registration, authorization, issue, sale and delivery of the Shares, shall have
been reasonably satisfactory to Underwriters Counsel, and such counsel shall
have been furnished with such papers and information as they may reasonably
have requested to enable them to pass upon the matters referred to in this Section.
(c) Subsequent
to the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the First Closing
Date, and on the Option Closing Date, as the case may be,
(i) there shall not have been any Material Adverse
Effect which, in your sole judgment, is material and adverse and that makes it,
in your sole judgment, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public
offering of the Shares as contemplated by the Prospectus; and
(ii) there shall not have occurred any downgrading, nor
shall any notice have been given of any intended or potential downgrading or of
any review for a possible change that does not indicate the direction of the
possible change, in the rating accorded any of the Companys securities by any nationally
recognized statistical rating organization, as such term is defined for
purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Act.
(d) At
the First Closing Date and on the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, the
Underwriters shall have received from Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP,
counsel for the Company (Company Counsel), a signed opinion dated as of such
Closing Date, reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters Counsel, in the form
and substance of Exhibit B annexed hereto.
(e) At
the First Closing Date and on the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, the
Underwriters shall have received from [ ],
patent and trademark counsel for the Company (IP Company Counsel), a signed
opinion dated as of such Closing Date,
27
reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters Counsel,
in the form and substance of Exhibit C annexed hereto.
(f) At
the First Closing Date, and on the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, the
Underwriters shall have received from [ ],
counsel for the Selling Stockholders (Selling Stockholders Counsel), a signed
opinion dated as of such Closing Date, reasonably satisfactory to the
Underwriters Counsel, in the form and substance of Exhibit D annexed
hereto.
(g) At
the First Closing Date, and on the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, the
Company and the Selling Stockholders shall have received from Underwriters
Counsel a signed opinion dated as of such Closing Date, reasonably satisfactory
to the Underwriters Counsel, in the form and substance of Exhibit E
annexed hereto.
(h) The
Underwriters shall have received, on each of the date hereof and the Closing
Date, a letter dated the date hereof or the Closing Date, as the case may be,
in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, from Grant Thornton
LLC, independent public accountants, containing statements and information of
the type ordinarily included in accountants comfort letters with respect to
the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus; provided
that the letter delivered on the Closing Date shall use a cut-off date not
earlier than two business days before the Closing Date.
(i) The
Underwriters shall have received on the First Closing Date, and on the Option
Closing Date, as the case may be, a certificate of the Company, dated the First
Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, signed by the
Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Company, to the
effect that, and you shall be satisfied that:
(i) The representations and warranties of the Company
in this Agreement are true and correct, as if made on and as of the First
Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, and the Company
has complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its
part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the First Closing Date or the
Option Closing Date, as the case may be;
(ii) No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been
instituted or are pending or threatened under the Act;
(iii) When the Registration Statement became effective
and at all times subsequent thereto up to the delivery of such certificate, the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and any amendments or supplements
thereto, contained all material information required to be included therein by
the Act or the 1934 Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder, as the case may be, and in all material respects
conformed to the requirements of the Act or the 1934 Act and the applicable rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder, as the case may be, the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, and any amendments or supplements thereto, did
not and does not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state a
28
material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; and, since the
effective date of the Registration Statement, there has occurred no event
required to be set forth in an amended or supplemented Prospectus which has not
been so set forth; and
(iv) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which
information is given in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, there has
not been (a) any Material Adverse Effect, (b) any transaction that is
material to the Company and its subsidiaries considered as a whole, except
transactions entered into in the ordinary course of business, (c) any
obligation, direct or contingent, that is material to the Company and its
subsidiaries considered as a whole, incurred by the Company or its
subsidiaries, except obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business, (d) any
change in the capital stock or outstanding indebtedness of the Company or any
of its subsidiaries that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries
considered as a whole, (e) any dividend or distribution of any kind declared,
paid or made on the capital stock of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or
(f) any loss or damage (whether or not insured) to the property of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries which has been sustained or will have been
sustained which has a Material Adverse Effect.
(j) The
Company shall have obtained and delivered to the Underwriters an agreement
substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto from each officer
and director of the Company and each Selling Shareholder. All of the certificates representing the
Shares shall have been tendered for delivery in accordance with the terms and
provisions of this Agreement.
(k) On
each of the First Closing Date, and on the Option Closing Date, as the case may
be, the Underwriters shall receive a written certificate executed by the
Attorney-in-Fact of each Selling Stockholder, dated as of such Closing Date, to
the effect that:
(i) the representations, warranties and covenants of
such Selling Stockholder set forth in Section 1 or Section 2 of this
Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though
expressly made by such Selling Stockholder on and as of such Closing Date; and
(ii) such Selling Stockholder has complied with all the
agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or
satisfied at or prior to such Closing Date except for any conditions expressly
waived in writing by the Underwriters.
(l) At
least three business days prior to the date hereof, the Company and the Selling
Stockholders shall have furnished for review by the Underwriters copies of the
Powers of Attorney and Custody Agreements executed by each of the Selling
Stockholders and such further information, certificates and documents as the
Underwriters may reasonably request.
(m) The
Shares shall be listed on the NASDAQ, subject only to official notice of
issuance.
(n) The
Company shall have complied with the provisions of this Agreement with respect
to the furnishing of Prospectuses.
29
(o) On
or before each of the First Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, as the
case may be, the Underwriters and Underwriters Counsel shall have received
such information, documents and opinions as they may reasonably require for the
purposes of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Shares as
contemplated herein, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the
representations and warranties, or the satisfaction of any of the conditions or
agreements, herein contained.
If any condition specified in this Section 9 is not satisfied when
and as required to be satisfied, this Agreement may be terminated by the
Underwriters by notice to the Company and the Selling Stockholders at any time
on or prior to the First Closing Date and, with respect to the Option Shares,
at any time prior to the Option Closing Date, which termination shall be
without liability on the part of any party to any other party, except for the
expenses described in Section 12 of this Agreement.
10. Default
of One or More of the Underwriters.
If, on the First Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case
may be, any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase
Shares that it or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the
aggregate number of Common Stock which such defaulting Underwriter or
Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase does not exceed 10% of
the aggregate number of the Shares to be purchased on such date, the other
Underwriters shall be obligated, severally, in the proportions that the number
of Firm Shares set forth opposite their respective names on Schedule A bears to the aggregate number
of Firm Shares set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting
Underwriters, to purchase the Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or
Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase on such date. If, on the
First Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, any one or
more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Shares and the
aggregate number of Shares with respect to which such default occurs exceeds
10% of the aggregate number of Shares to be purchased on such date, and
arrangements satisfactory to the Company and the other Underwriters for the
purchase of such Shares are not made within 48 hours after such default, this
Agreement shall terminate without liability of any non-defaulting Underwriter
or the Company, except that the provisions of Section 7, Section 8, Section 13
and Section 19 shall at all times be effective and shall survive such
termination. In any such case either the
Underwriters or the Company shall have the right to postpone the First Closing
Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, but in no event for longer
than seven days in order that the required changes, if any, to the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus or any other documents or arrangements may be
effected.
As used in this Agreement, the term Underwriter shall be deemed to
include any person substituted for a defaulting Underwriter under this Section 10. Any action taken under this Section 10
shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any
default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.
11. Effective
Date. This Agreement will become
effective upon the later of when (i) the Underwriters and the Company
shall have received notification of the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement or (ii) the execution of this Agreement.
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12. Termination.
The
Underwriters shall have the right by written notice to the Company (which may
be delivered electronically through email or facsimile) to terminate this
Agreement at any time prior to the First Closing Date or the obligations of the
Underwriters to purchase the Option Shares at any time prior to the Option
Closing Date, as the case may be, if (i) the Company shall have failed or
refused to fully perform or comply with any of the provisions of this Agreement
on its part to be performed and complied with by it prior to the applicable
Closing Date, (ii) any of the conditions of Underwriters obligations as
set forth in Section 9 herein shall not have been satisfied on or prior to
the First Closing Date or
the Option Closing Date, as the case may be; (iii) trading in
securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange, the AMEX, the Nasdaq
National Market, the Chicago Board of Options Exchange, the Chicago Mercantile
Exchange or the Chicago Board of Trade, will have been suspended; (iv) minimum
or maximum prices will have been established on such exchanges by the
Commission or the NASD; (v) a general banking moratorium will have been
declared either by federal or New York, Delaware or California state
authorities; (vi) any other restrictions on transactions in securities
materially affecting the free market for securities or the payment for such
securities or adversely affecting the distribution of the Firm Shares or the
Option Shares, as the case may be, will be established by either of such
exchanges, by the Commission, by any other federal or state agency, by action
of the Congress or by Executive Order; (vii) the Company will have
sustained a material loss, whether or not insured, by reason of fire, flood,
accident or other calamity of such character as in the sole judgment of
Merriman Curhan Ford & Co. may interfere materially with the conduct
of the Business and operations of the Company or make it impracticable to
proceed with the offering, sale and delivery of the Firm Shares or the Option
Shares, as the case may be, on the terms contemplated by the Prospectus; (viii) any
action has been taken by the government of the United States or any department
or agency thereof which, in the sole judgment of Merriman Curhan Ford &
Co., has had a material adverse effect upon the general market for securities
and has made it impracticable to proceed with the offering, sale and delivery
of the Firm Shares or the Option Shares, as the case may be, on the terms set
forth in the Prospectus; (ix) there shall have occurred the outbreak of
any war or any other event or calamity, including without limitation as a
result of terrorist activities, which, in the sole judgment of Merriman Curhan
Ford & Co., materially disrupts the financial markets of the United
States and makes it impracticable to proceed with the offering, sale and
delivery of the Firm Shares or the Option Shares, as the case may be, on the
terms set forth in the Prospectus; (x) the general market for securities or
political, legal or financial conditions should deteriorate so materially from
that in effect on the date of this Agreement that, in the sole judgment of
Merriman Curhan Ford & Co., it becomes impracticable for the
Underwriters to commence or proceed with the public offering of the Shares and
with the payment for or acceptance thereof; (xi) if trading of any securities
of the Company shall have been suspended, halted or delisted on any exchange or
in any over-the-counter market or by the Commission; or (xii) any change that
could result in a Material Adverse Effect shall have occurred in the sole
judgment of Merriman Curhan Ford & Co., since the date as of which
information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. Notwithstanding any contrary provision
contained in this Agreement, any election hereunder or any termination of this
Agreement, and whether or not this Agreement is otherwise carried out, the
provisions of Sections 7, 8, 13 and 19 shall not be in any way affected by such
election or termination or failure to carry out the terms of this Agreement or
any part hereof.
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13. Expenses.
(a) Whether
or not the offering of the Shares is consummated, the Company and the Selling
Stockholders, jointly and severally, in such proportions as they may agree upon
among themselves, will pay all costs and expenses incident to the performance
of the obligations of the Company and the Selling Stockholders hereunder,
including without limiting the generality of the foregoing, (i) the
preparation, printing, filing with the Commission, and copying of the
Registration Statement, each Preliminary Prospectus, Prospectus, this Agreement
and other underwriting documents, if any, and any drafts, amendments or
supplements thereto, including the cost of all copies thereof supplied to the
Underwriters in such quantities as reasonably requested by the Underwriters and
the costs of mailing Prospectuses to offerees and purchasers of the Shares; (ii) the
printing, engraving, issuance and delivery of certificates representing the
Shares, including any transfer or other taxes payable thereon; (iii) the
reasonable fees, expenses and other costs related to the registration or
qualification of the Shares under state securities or blue sky laws, in
accordance with the provisions of Section 13(c) below; (iv) the
reasonable fees, costs and disbursements of Underwriters Counsel in connection
with the review and analysis of certain blue sky matters related to the
offering; (v) all reasonable fees and expenses of the Companys Counsel
and accountants; (vi) all NASD filing fees, costs and expenses incurred in
connection with the offering and all fees and disbursements of Underwriters
Counsel in connection with obtaining clearance of the offering with the NASD; (vii) all
costs and expenses of any listing of the Shares on the Nasdaq National Market
or any other stock exchange or over-the-counter market, or in Standard and Poors
Corporation Reports or any other securities manuals; (viii) all costs and
expenses of four (4) bound volumes provided to the Underwriters and
Underwriters Counsel of all documents, paper exhibits, correspondence and
records forming the materials included in the offering; (ix) the cost of tombstone
advertisements to be placed in one or more daily or weekly periodicals as the
Underwriter may request; (x) travel expenses of the Company in connection with
the road show presentations; and (xi) all other costs and expenses incident
to the performance of the Companys and Selling Stockholders obligations hereunder
which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section 13(a). The obligations of the Company under this subsection (a) shall
survive any termination or cancellation of this Agreement.
The Selling Stockholders further agree with each Underwriter to pay
(directly or by reimbursement) all fees and expenses incident to the
performance of their obligations under this Agreement which are not otherwise
specifically provided for herein, including but not limited to (i) fees
and expenses of Selling Stockholders Counsel and other advisors for such
Selling Stockholders, (ii) fees and expenses of the Custodian and (iii) expenses
and taxes incident to the sale and delivery of the Common Stock to be sold by
such Selling Stockholders to the Underwriters hereunder (which taxes, if any,
may be deducted by the Custodian under the provisions of Section 3 of this
Agreement).
This Section 13 shall not affect or modify any separate, valid
agreement relating to the allocation of payment of expenses between the
Company, on the one hand, and the Selling Stockholders, on the other hand.
(b) The
Underwriters shall determine in which states or jurisdictions the Shares shall
be registered or qualified for sale.
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14. Notices. Any notice hereunder shall be in writing,
unless otherwise expressly provided herein, and if to the respective persons
indicated, will be sufficient if mailed by certified mail, return receipt
requested, postage prepaid, delivered by national overnight courier service or
hand delivered, addressed as respectively indicated or to such other address as
will be indicated by a written notice similarly given, to the following
persons:
(a) If
to the Underwriters - addressed to each of Merriman Curhan Ford & Co.;
600 California Street, 9th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94108, Attn: Craig Sultan,
Managing Director, W.R. Hambrecht; 539 Bryant Street, Suite 100, San
Francisco, CA 94107, Attn: [ ,
Chairman], and Pacific Growth Equities, One Bush Street, Suite 1700, San
Francisco, CA 94104, Attn: Gary Vollen, Managing Director, and with a copy to
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, 650 Page Mill Road, Palo Alto,
CA 94304, Attention: Donna Petkanics, Esq. and Jose Macias, Esq.;
provided, however, that such copy to Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
shall not constitute notice delivered to the Underwriters.
(b) If
to the Company - addressed to Fiberstars, Inc., 44259 Nobel Drive,
Fremont, California 94538, Attention: John Davenport, Chief Executive Officer,
with a copy to Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, 2475 Hanover Street,
Fremont, California 94304, Attention: Richard Bebb, Esq.; provided,
however, that such copy to Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP shall not
constitute notice delivered to the Company.
(c) If
to the Selling Stockholders - addressed to [ ],
with a copy to [ ]
provided, however, that such copy to [ ]
shall not constitute notice delivered to the Selling Stockholders.
Notice shall be deemed
delivered upon receipt.
15. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of
and be binding upon the Underwriters, the Company, the Selling Stockholders and
their respective successors and assigns. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this
Agreement is intended, or will be construed, to give any person, corporation or
other entity other than the controlling persons, directors, officers, employees
and agents referred to in Section 7 hereof (to the extent provided for in Section 7),
and their respective successors and assigns, any legal or equitable right,
remedy, or claim under or in respect to this Agreement or any provisions herein
contained, this Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof being
intended to be and being for the sole and exclusive benefit of such persons and
for the benefit of no other persons. Notwithstanding anything contained herein
to the contrary, no purchaser of any of the Shares from the Underwriters will
be deemed a successor or assign solely because of such purchase.
16. Finders
and Holders of First Refusal Rights.
(a) The
Company and the Selling Stockholders hereby represent and warrant to the
Underwriters that it has not paid any compensation for services as a finder in
connection with any prior financing of the Company during the twelve-month
period immediately preceding the date hereof and that no person is entitled,
directly or indirectly, to compensation for services as a finder in connection
with the proposed transactions. The
Company and Selling Stockholders further represent and warrant that no person
holds a right of first refusal or similar right in
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connection with the proposed offering which has not
been waived, and the Company and the Selling Stockholders hereby agree to
indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriters, their officers, directors, agents
and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriters within the meaning of Section 15
of the Act, from and against any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense
whatsoever arising out of a claim by an alleged finder or alleged holder of a
right of first refusal or similar right in connection with the proposed
offering, insofar as such loss, liability, claim, damage or expense arises out
of any action or alleged action of the Company, as the case may be.
(b) Each
of the Underwriters hereby represents and warrants to the Company and the
Selling Stockholders that no person is entitled, directly or indirectly, to compensation
for services as a finder in connection with the proposed transactions
contemplated by this Agreement; and the Underwriters hereby agrees to indemnify
and hold harmless, severally and not jointly, the Company, its officers,
directors and agents, and the Selling Stockholders, from and against any loss,
liability, claim, damage or expense whatsoever arising out of a claim by an
alleged finder in connection with the proposed offering, insofar as such loss,
liability, claim, damage or expense arises out of any action or alleged action
of the Underwriters.
17. Applicable
Law. This Agreement shall be a
deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the State of California and for
all purposes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of
said State applicable to contracts made and to be performed entirely within
such State. Each of the Company, the
Selling Stockholders and the Underwriters (i) agrees that any legal suit,
action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement shall be
instituted exclusively in California State Supreme Court, County of San
Francisco, or in the United States District Court for the Northern District of
California, (ii) waives any objection which the Company the Selling
Stockholders or the Underwriters, as the case may be, may have now or hereafter
to the venue of any such suit, action or proceeding, and (iii) irrevocably
consents to the jurisdiction of the California State Supreme Court, County of
San Francisco and the United States District Court for the Northern District of
California in any such suit, action or procedure. Each of the Company, the
Selling Stockholders and the Underwriters further agrees to accept and
acknowledge service of any and all process which may be served in any suit,
action or proceeding in the California State Supreme Court, County of San
Francisco and the United States District Court for the Northern District of
California, and agrees that service of process upon the Company, the Selling
Stockholders or the Underwriters, as the case may be, mailed by certified mail
to such partys address as set forth in Section 14 hereof shall be deemed
in every respect effective service of process upon such party in any such suit,
action or proceeding. In the event of litigation between the parties arising
hereunder, the prevailing party shall be entitled to costs and reasonable
attorneys fees.
18. Failure of One or More of
the Selling Stockholders to Sell and Deliver Common Stock.
If one or more of the Selling Stockholders shall fail to sell and
deliver to the Underwriters the Shares to be sold and delivered by such Selling
Stockholders at the First Closing Date pursuant to this Agreement, then the
Underwriters may at their option, by written notice from the Underwriters to
the Company and the Selling Stockholders, either (i) terminate this
Agreement without any liability on the part of any Underwriter or, except as provided in Sections 7,
8, 13 and 19 hereof, the Company or the Selling Stockholders, or (ii) purchase
the shares which the Company and other Selling Stockholders have agreed to sell
and deliver in accordance with the terms hereof. If one or more of the Selling Stockholders
shall fail to sell and
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deliver to the Underwriters the Shares to be sold and
delivered by such Selling Stockholders pursuant to this Agreement at the First
Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, then the Underwriters shall have the
right, by written notice from the Underwriters to the Company and the Selling
Stockholders, to postpone the First Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as
the case may be, but in no event for longer than seven days in order that the
required changes, if any, to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or
any other documents or arrangements may be effected.
19. No
Fiduciary Duty. The Company and the
Selling Stockholders hereby acknowledge that (a) the Underwriters are
acting as principal and not as an agent or fiduciary of the Company and (b) their
engagement of the Underwriters in connection with the Offering is as
independent contractors and not in any other capacity. Furthermore, each of the Company and the
Selling Stockholders agree that they are solely responsible for making their
own judgments in connection with the Offering (irrespective of whether the
Underwriters have advised or is currently advising the Company or the Selling
Stockholders on related or other matters).
20. Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for
purposes of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect any of the
terms or provisions hereof.
21. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number
of counterparts which, taken together, shall constitute one and the same
instrument.
22. Entire
Agreement. This Agreement sets forth
the entire agreement and understanding between the Underwriters, the Company
and the Selling Stockholders with respect to the subject matter hereof, and
supersedes all prior agreements, arrangements and understandings, written or
oral, between them.
23. Terminology. All personal pronouns used in this Agreement,
whether used in the masculine, feminine or neuter gender, shall include all
other genders and the singular shall include the plural, and vice versa.
[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]
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If the foregoing
correctly sets forth our understanding, please indicate the Underwriters
acceptance thereof, as of the day and year first above written, in the spaces
provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter with the Underwriters
acceptance shall constitute a binding agreement among us.
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Very
truly yours,
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FIBERSTARS,
INC.
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By:
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Name:
John Davenport
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Title:
Chief Executive Officer
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The
Selling Stockholders
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named
in Schedule B hereto,
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acting
severally
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By:
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Attorney-in-Fact
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Confirmed and accepted on the
day and year first above written.
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THE
UNDERWRITERS:
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MERRIMAN
CURHAN FORD & CO.
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W.R.
HAMBRECHT + CO, LLC
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PACIFIC
GROWTH EQUITIES, INC.
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Acting
severally on behalf
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of
themselves and the Underwriters
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named
in Schedule A hereto.
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By:
MERRIMAN CURHAN FORD & CO.
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By:
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Name:
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Title:
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36
EXHIBIT A
(Lock-Up Letter Agreement)
, 2005
Merriman
Curhan Ford & Co.
WR
Hambrecht & Co.
Pacific
Growth Equities, Inc.
c/o Merriman Curhan Ford & Co.
600
California Street, 9th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94108
Re: Lock-Up Agreement (the Agreement)
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
The undersigned is an owner of record or
beneficially of certain shares of common stock, $0.0001 par value per share
(the Common Stock), of Fiberstars, Inc.,
a California corporation (the Company), or
securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Common
Stock. The undersigned understands that
Merriman Curhan Ford & Co., proposes to enter into an underwriting
agreement with the Company and certain selling stockholders of the Company (the
Underwriting Agreement) providing for
a public offering of the Common Stock of the Company by the several
underwriters, including Merriman Curhan Ford & Co. (the Underwriters) pursuant to a Registration
Statement on Form S-3 to be filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the Public Offering). The undersigned recognizes that the Public
Offering will be of benefit to the undersigned and will benefit the Company by,
among other things, raising additional capital for its operations. The undersigned acknowledges the Underwriters
are relying on the representations and agreements of the undersigned contained
in this letter in carrying out the Public Offering and in entering into
underwriting arrangements with the Company with respect to the Public Offering.
To induce the Underwriters that may participate in
the Public Offering to continue their efforts in connection with the Public
Offering, the undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent
of Merriman Curhan Ford & Co. on behalf of the Underwriters (which
consent may be withheld in its sole discretion), it will not, during the period
(the Restricted Period) commencing on the
date hereof and ending 90 days after the date of the final prospectus relating
to the Public Offering (the Prospectus), (1) offer,
pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase,
purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to
purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly,
any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or
exchangeable for Common Stock, or (2) enter into any swap or other
arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic
consequences of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such transaction
described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of
Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to the
exercise of options or warrants or the conversion of a security outstanding on
the date of the Prospectus and which is described in the Companys registration
statement on Form S-3, as amended and supplemented, filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission; provided, however, that the undersigned
agrees that the foregoing sentence shall apply to any securities issued by the
Company to the undersigned upon such an exercise or conversion. In addition, the undersigned agrees that,
without the prior written consent of Merriman Curhan Ford & Co. on
behalf of the Underwriters (which consent may be withheld in its sole
discretion), it will not, during the period commencing on the date hereof and
ending
90 days after the date of the Prospectus, make any demand for or exercise any
right with respect to, the registration of any shares of Common Stock or any
security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock.
The undersigned agrees that if (a) during the
last 18 days of the Restricted Period, the Company issues an earnings release
or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs; or (b) prior
to the expiration of the Restricted Period, the Company announces that it will
release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of
the Restricted Period, the restrictions set forth herein shall continue to
apply until the expiration of the 19-day period beginning on the issuance of
the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event,
as applicable, unless Merriman Curhan Ford & Co. waives, in writing,
such extension. The undersigned hereby
acknowledges and agrees that written notice of any extension of the Restricted
Period pursuant to this paragraph will be delivered by Merriman Curhan Ford &
Co. to the Company (in accordance with Section 12 of the Underwriting
Agreement) and that any such notice properly delivered will be deemed to have
been given to, and received by, the undersigned.
With respect to the Public Offering, the undersigned
waives any registration rights relating to registration under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended, or otherwise, of any Common Stock owned either of
record or beneficially by the undersigned, including any rights to receive
notice of the Public Offering.
The foregoing restrictions are expressly agreed to preclude
the undersigned from engaging in any hedging or other transaction which is
designed to or reasonably expected to lead to or result in a sale or
disposition of the Common Stock even if such Common Stock would be disposed of
by someone other than the undersigned.
Such prohibited hedging or other transactions would include without
limitation any short sale or any purchase, sale or grant of any right
(including without limitation any put option or put equivalent position or call
option or call equivalent position) with respect to any of the Common Stock or
with respect to any security that includes, relates to, or derives any
significant part of its value from such Common Stock.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the undersigned may
transfer shares of Common Stock (i) as a bona fide gift or gifts, provided
that the donee or donees thereof agree to be bound by the restrictions set
forth herein, (ii) to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the
undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned, provided that the
trustee of the trust agrees to be bound by the restrictions set forth herein,
and provided further that any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for
value, (iii) to the Underwriters pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement,
or (iv) in transactions relating to shares of Common Stock acquired by the
undersigned in open market transactions after the completion of the Public
Offering. For purposes of this Agreement, immediate family shall mean any
relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first
cousin. In addition, notwithstanding the
foregoing, if the undersigned is a corporation, partnership, limited liability
company or other form of business entity, the undersigned may transfer the
capital stock of the Company to any wholly-owned subsidiary, partner or member
of the undersigned or to an affiliate of the undersigned; provided, however,
that in any such case, it shall be a condition to the transfer that the
transferee execute an agreement stating that the transferee is receiving and
holding such capital stock subject to the provisions of this Agreement and
there shall be no further transfer of such capital stock except in accordance
with this Agreement, and provided further that any such transfer shall not involve
a disposition for value.
The undersigned understands that whether or not the
Public Offering actually occurs depends on a number of factors, including stock
market conditions. The Public Offering
will only be made pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement, the terms of which are
subject to negotiation among the Company and the Underwriters.
The undersigned agrees and consents to the entry of
stop transfer instructions with the Companys transfer agent and registrar
against, and authorizes the Company to cause the transfer agent and registrar
to decline, the transfer of shares of Common Stock or securities convertible
into or exchangeable or exercisable for Common Stock held by the undersigned
except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.
This Agreement shall lapse and become null and void
as of the close of business on March 31, 2006, if the closing (excluding
the closing of any over-allotment option granted to the Underwriters pursuant
to the Underwriting Agreement relating to the Public Offering) of the Public
Offering shall not have occurred on or before such time.
The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that
the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into the agreements set
forth herein.
The undersigned further understands that this
agreement is irrevocable, and that all authority herein conferred or agreed to
be conferred shall survive death or incapacity of the undersigned and will be
binding on the undersigned and the respective successors, heirs, personal
representatives, and assigns of the undersigned.
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Very truly yours,
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Signature
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Name (Please print)
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EXHIBIT B
(Opinion of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP)
Matters to
be Covered in the Opinion Of Company Counsel
(i) the Company has
been duly incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good standing
under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has the corporate
power and authority to own its property and to conduct its business as
described in the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is
in good standing in
[ ];
(ii) each subsidiary of
the Company has been duly incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in
good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has the
corporate power and authority to own its property and to conduct its business
as described in the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and
is in good standing in
[ ];
(iii) the authorized capital
stock of the Company conforms as to legal matters to the description thereof
contained in the Prospectus in all material repsects;
(iv) the shares of Common
Stock outstanding prior to the issuance of the Shares have been duly authorized
and are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable;
(v) all of the issued
shares of capital stock of each subsidiary of the Company have been duly and
validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are owned
directly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or
claims;
(vi) the Shares have been duly
authorized and, when issued and delivered in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and the
issuance of such Shares will not be subject to any preemptive or similar rights pursuant to (i) the articles of incorporation or
by-laws of the Company, (ii) the General Corporation Law of the State of
Delaware or (iii) to our knowledge, any agreement to which the
Company is a party or by which the Company is bound;
(vii) this Agreement has been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by the Company;
(viii) the execution and delivery by
the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under,
this Agreement will not contravene any provision of applicable law or the
articles of incorporation or by-laws of the Company or, to the best of such
counsels knowledge, any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Company
or any of its subsidiaries that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries
listed in Schedule B of this letter, taken as a whole, or, to the
best of such counsels knowledge, any judgment, order or decree of any
governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Company or any
subsidiary, and no consent, approval,
authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body
or agency is required for the performance by the Company of its obligations
under this Agreement, except such as may be required by the securities or Blue
Sky laws of the various states in connection with the offer and sale of the
Shares;
(ix) the statements relating
to legal matters, documents or proceedings included in (A) the Prospectus
under the captions Business Legal Proceedings, (B) the Registration
Statement in Item 15, and the descriptions of the Companys common stock and Series A
Participating Preferred Stock Purchase Rights contained in the Companys
Registration Statements on Form 8-A, as amended, and incorporated by
reference into the Prospectus, in each case fairly summarize in all material
respects such matters, documents or proceedings;
(x) after due inquiry,
such counsel does not know of any legal or governmental proceedings pending or
threatened to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to
which any of the properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is
subject that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus and are not so described or of any statutes, regulations, contracts
or other documents that are required to be described in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration
Statement that are not described or filed as required;
(xi) the Company is not, and
will not become immediately after the consummation of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, as a result of the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and application of the net
proceeds therefrom as described in the Prospectus, required to register as an
investment company as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended; and
(xii) the Registration Statement
and Prospectus and any further amendments or supplements thereto made by the
Company prior to the Closing Date (other than the financial statements,
including the notes thereto and related schedules, and the other financial,
statistical and accounting data included therein, as to which we express no
opinion or statement), when they became effective or were filed with the
Commission, as the case may be, complied as to form in all material respects
with the requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations.
During
the course of the preparation of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus,
we participated in conferences with officers and other representatives of the
Company, the Companys independent accountants, the Underwriters and the
Underwriters counsel at which the contents of the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus and other related matters were discussed. Although we are not passing upon and have not
independently checked or verified the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the
statements contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (except
for the statements referred to in paragraph (ix) above), based on our
participation in the preparation of the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus as discussed above, no facts have come to our attention that lead us
to believe that, as of the effective date of the Registration Statement, the Registration
Statement (except as to the financial
statements, including the notes
thereto and related schedules, and the other financial, statistical and
accounting data included therein or that should have been included therein, as
to which we are not called upon to and do not advise the Underwriters)
contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading, or that, as of its date or as of the date hereof, the
Prospectus (except in each such case as to the financial statements, including
the notes thereto and related schedules, and the other financial, statistical
and accounting data included or that should have been included therein, as to
which we are not called upon to and do not advise the Underwriters) contained
or contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state
a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light
of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading.
EXHIBIT C
(IP Counsel Opinion)
Matters
to be Covered in the Opinion of IP Counsel
(i) the
Company owns all patents, trademarks, trademark registrations, service marks,
service mark registrations, trade names, copyrights, licenses, inventions,
trade secrets and rights described in the Prospectus as being owned by it, and
we are not aware of any claim to the contrary or any challenge by any other
person to the rights of the Company with respect to the foregoing other than
those identified in the Prospectus.
(ii) we
are not aware of any legal actions, claims or proceedings pending or threatened
against the Company, its manufacturers, suppliers or customers, other than
those identified in the Prospectus, alleging the same is infringing or
otherwise violating any patents, trademarks, trademark registrations, service
marks, service mark registrations, trade names, copyrights, licenses,
inventions or trade secrets owned by others.
(iii) we
have reviewed the descriptions of patents and patent applications under the
captions [Risk Factors We rely on intellectual property and other
proprietary information that may not be protected and that may be expensive to
protect.] and [Business] in the Prospectus, and, to the extent they
constitute matters of law or legal conclusions, these descriptions are accurate
and fairly and completely present the patent situation of the Company.
(iv) after
review of the file history and our file with respect to patent protection on
the Companys technology, for each patent or patent application described in
the Prospectus as being owned by the Company, to our knowledge, as of the date
of this opinion, the description of patents and patent applications under the
captions [Risk Factors We rely on intellectual property and other
proprietary information that may not be protected and that may be expensive to
protect.] and [Business] in the Prospectus does not contain any untrue
statement of material fact and does not omit to state a material fact necessary
to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading, including without limitation, by failure to
disclose any known material issue with respect to the validity or enforceability
of such patents or patents issuing from any such patent applications.
EXHIBIT D
(Opinion of Selling Stockholders Counsel)
Matters to
be Covered in the Opinion of Selling Stockholders Counsel
(i) upon delivery of and payment for the Shares to be
sold by the Selling Stockholders as contemplated in the Underwriting Agreement,
each of the Underwriters will be the registered owner of such Shares purchased
by it from such Selling Stockholders, free of any adverse claim, assuming the
Underwriter purchases such Shares for value, in good faith and without notice
of any adverse claim, as such terms are defined in the Uniform Commercial Code
in effect in the State of California.
(ii) to such counsels knowledge, no consent, approval,
authorization or order of, or filing with, any governmental agency or body or
any court is required to be obtained or made by the Selling Stockholder for the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement,
the Custody Agreement and the Power of Attorney in connection with the sale of
the Shares sold by the Selling Stockholders, except such as have been obtained
and made under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.
(iii) to such counsels knowledge, the execution,
delivery and performance of the Underwriting Agreement, the Custody Agreement
and the Power of Attorney, and the consummation of the transactions therein
contemplated will not result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and
provisions of, or constitute a default under, any organizational document of
such Selling Stockholders or statute, any rule, regulation or order of any
governmental agency or body or any court having jurisdiction over such Selling
Stockholders.
(iv) the Underwriting Agreement, the Deposit Agreement, the
Custody Agreement and the Power of Attorney each has been duly authorized,
executed and delivered by the Selling Stockholder.
EXHIBIT E
(Form of Opinion of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich &
Rosati, P.C.)
Matters to
be Covered in the Opinion Of Underwriters Counsel
(a) The
Company is a corporation duly incorporated under the general corporation law of
the State of California. Based on
certificates from public officials, we confirm that the Company is validly
existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of California.
(b) The
execution, delivery and performance of the Underwriting Agreement have been
duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company.
(c) The
Company Firm Shares and the Company Option Shares have been duly authorized and
are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable;
We have participated in
the preparation of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, involving,
among other things, review and discussion of the contents thereof, discussion
and inquiries concerning various legal matters and the review of certain
records, documents and proceedings, and participation in conferences with you,
counsel to the Selling Stockholder and certain officers and other
representatives of the Company, including its independent accountants and legal
counsel to the Company, at which the contents of the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus (as well as portions of certain of the Incorporated Documents)
were discussed, but without independent check or verification of the accuracy or
completeness of such information, except as specified herein. On the basis of
such consideration, review and discussion, but without independent check or
verification, nothing has come to our attention that would lead us to believe
that the Registration Statement, together with the Incorporated Documents
(except for the financial statements, schedules or other financial or
statistical data, in each case which are included or incorporated by reference
in such Registration Statement or the Incorporated Documents or omitted
therefrom, as to which we make no statement), at the time such Registration
Statement became effective, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein not misleading, or that the Prospectus, together
with the Incorporated Documents (except for the financial statements, schedules
or other financial or statistical data, in each case which are included or
incorporated by reference in such Prospectus or Incorporated Documents or
omitted therefrom, as to which we make no statement), at the time the
Prospectus was issued, or at the date hereof, included or includes an untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
SCHEDULE B
Selling Shareholder